


you can watch me corrode

by scarletfish



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Anxiety, Eating Disorders, F/F, Fainting, Food Issues, Gen, Mentioned Martin Blackwood, Mentioned Tim Stoker (The Magnus Archives), Season 3, What the Girlfriends pre-relationship, melanie and jon are so damn similar, they of course despise this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-19 11:21:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29873877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarletfish/pseuds/scarletfish
Summary: "So, how long have you been pulling this shit then?""I… excuse me?" Jon’s indignant, certain she can’t mean what he thinks she means."When was the last time you ate?"(Georgie decides Jon and Melanie need a normal day off. Jon learns that he and Melanie have more in common than he thought.)
Relationships: Georgie Barker/Melanie King, Melanie King & Jonathan "Jon" Sims | The Archivist
Comments: 14
Kudos: 89





	you can watch me corrode

**Author's Note:**

> Sharpest Live by MCR has some great Jon/Melanie vibes. Also, the reason they hate each other so much is because they're practically the same person, I will die on this hill.
> 
> CW: Unspecified ED. This is based off of my own experiences with disordered eating- I find writing therapeutic, but if that’s triggering for you, maybe consider passing on this one! More detailed content warnings in the end notes. Stay safe <3

Jon opens the cabinet for the third time. Closes it. Opens it again. 

_Energy, it’s only energy_ , he repeats to himself, swallowing down the rising nausea. It was far too easy to fall back into bad habits in those first two weeks with Georgie, his exhaustion hardly noticeable as he rotated between the spare bedroom, kitchen table, and couch. But today will be long and miserable if he can’t get any solid food down.

He misses his stash of protein bars and energy drinks back at the archives. His stomach growls. 

“Jon, almost ready to go?” Startled, he slams the cabinet shut with a bang. Georgie raises her eyebrows from the doorway, nonplussed. He rubs the back of his neck self-consciously.

“Ah, sorry, hand slipped... yes.”

“Good. Melanie just texted, said she’s almost here.”

Jon tries not to make a face.

It was kind of Georgie to invite him along. Especially considering how far he’s already encroached on her personal life. 

The statements have him on thin ice with her already. They got into a heated argument a few nights ago in the kitchen, when she pointed out how pale and weak each new delivery left him.

"You look like you just crawled out of your own grave!"

“Honestly? I probably just need some fresh air, bit of sun,” he’d said placatingly.

Georgie rolled her eyes, but thankfully took the bait. “Melanie and I go hiking most Saturdays, you’re welcome to come along this week. I think she was wanting to see you anyway?”

According to Georgie, he and Melanie both needed to engage in some “normal person activities.” (He doesn’t know if she’s worked out that Melanie’s weird job is the same one he’s been ‘fired’ from, but he isn’t going to connect the dots. He doesn’t think Melanie is too keen on involving her yet either.)

At first he’d protested, citing his leg, his work, and the fact that he highly doubted Melanie actually wanted to see him. But by the time she’d adjusted their outing to a short stroll around a nearby botanical garden ("Entirely flat! With plenty of benches!")... Jon couldn’t think of a polite way to decline. 

He certainly can’t tell her that he was too anxious to eat dinner last night, which then left him too nauseous to think about food this morning, which means he’s headed for a major midday crash.

When doorbell rings, Jon braces himself for an entirely different kind of collision. He checks the door viewer, sees a flash of bright blue hair, and opens it with a sigh. 

“Sims.” Melanie shoulders past him, bag in hand. “Aren’t you wanted for murder?” 

“Didn’t _you_ get _shot_ _?”_ He retorts.

“You two would be so much fun at a party,” Georgie deadpans, rounding the corner. 

Jon has resolved to play nice- he’s aware of how heavily he’s leaning on his host’s goodwill, _and_ _perhaps this is the connection to the archives he’s been looking for so desperately_ \- when Melanie’s hand snakes forward.

“How’d you do it though?” Her voice is cheery as she clamps a hand around his bicep, measuring the way her fingers almost touch. He tries to jerk away with a scowl as she muses, “Way too scrawny to actually beat someone to death, don't think you could even _lift_ a pipe-”

“Let. Go.” He grits out.

“Melanie,” Georgie cuts in with a groan, “stop antagonizing the man. Jon, I’m not going to play referee all day.”

“She start- I’m not even doing anything!” He crosses his arms for good measure, immediately feeling like a child. 

“Yeah Jon, settle down,” Melanie smirks, crouching to retrieve something from her bag on the floor. “Speaking of fun at a party, Georgie-” She pulls out an expensive looking bottle and a grin lights up Georgie’s face.

“Oh my god, you beautiful creature. I didn’t know you were even listening.” 

“Yeah, well, I’m only buttering you up so you’ll help me with my soundscaping,” Melanie retorts playfully, though Jon notices her cheeks have gone a bit… pink? _Interesting_.

They linger in the hall while Jon doubles back to grab his cane, chatting amicably. Jon self-assesses. He’s a bit dizzy, but there’s an anxious energy settling into his limbs that he knows will last at least a couple hours. 

Maybe he’ll pick up one of those protein shakes from the shop on his way back. That should hold him for a day.

“Oh, Jon, almost forgot!” Georgie stops in the doorway behind Melanie as they’re leaving and digs around in her bag before pulling out a pair of sunglasses. 

Jon immediately begins to protest. “No. Not a chance, there is _no way_ these will make me _less_ conspicuous-” 

Georgie raises her eyebrows, smile dancing around her lips, and with a sigh of thinly veiled disgust, Jon slips them on. They’re much too large for his face, round... with bright, cherry red frames. 

He steps out into the sun.

Melanie snorts and dissolves into a fit of laughter. “Oh my god, you look _ridiculous_ , I’m _so_ taking a picture to show Martin and Tim.”

“...Don’t you _dare_.”

* * *

It’s… surprisingly not unpleasant, for the first half hour or so. The park is maybe a five minute walk from where Georgie lives, and once they’re on the quiet, sparsely populated paths surrounded by foliage, Jon feels himself start to relax.

They stick to the paved areas, and though he’s somewhat shaky, Georgie was right- the sun feels incredible. 

His two friends are walking slightly ahead, complaining about shitty merch designs and weird fan interactions. Georgie keeps reaching out to rest her hand on Melanie’s elbow or shoulder when she laughs, and Jon is starting to develop a theory. He swears he hears his old friend call the shorter woman ‘Mel’ a few times.

Around noon, they take a brief break for lunch that Jon passes on, worried that food might ruin his short burst of energy, though he does appreciate the chance to sit. Melanie’s gaze burns a hold through the side of his head, and he’s starting to think he might be intruding. He hasn't done anything else to earn the open hostility, at least not today?

The thought is chased from his mind when it comes time to move again. He powers through the brief blackness fading the edges of his vision when he stands up too fast, but his stomach is starting to churn again.

Without warning, Jon goes cold, feeling the energy drain out of him like water down the drain of a tub. He opens his mouth, but only manages to make a strangled noise before the cement is rising up to meet him, blotting out the leaves.

* * *

“........should call someone? Martin, maybe?”

“What, so….. make some tea? …….. the hell …… call Martin?”

“Thought……. not, you know…... Together?”

The words slip through his mind like water, but Melanie’s abrupt laugh burrows into the painful spot behind his eyes.

He groans, and the noise drops off, but as the world comes back into focus, he catches Melanie murmuring behind her hand (perhaps not as subtly as she thinks), “I have _so_ many questions for you later.”

There are a few small rocks digging into his side, and his hands and knees sting. Georgie retrieves his cane from a few feet away and crouches down in front of him.

“You sort of keeled forward and tried to catch yourself on the way down?” she explains when she catches him examining the cuts on his palms. 

“How,” he clears his throat and tries again, “how long…?”

“Less than a minute," Melanie interjects. "You made this sound like you’d been stabbed and by the time we doubled back here you were already waking up.” She eyes him suspiciously, as if he’s done it on purpose. 

_Which is not entirely untrue_ , Jon thinks guiltily. 

“Er… sorry, I honestly don’t know what happened, think I’m just tired? We’re not far, I can just walk myself back if you want to keep going-”

“Right.” Georgie cuts him off. “That is literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. C’mon.” She reaches out a hand, pulling Jon upright onto trembling legs. She releases him and he sways, almost going down again.

“Jesus Christ, Jon-” 

He ends up with one arm wrapped around Georgie’s broad shoulders, leaning on her for support while Melanie carries his bag and cane. He apologizes until Georgie threatens to drop him, and settles into a humiliated silence. 

Melanie is… strangely quiet. 

Right up until they get back to the apartment and Jon is settled on the couch, head spinning, with a disgruntled Admiral settled on his lap. “Have you been left alone all day? Hm?” Jon murmurs to the cat quietly. 

He looks up to find Melanie watching him with a strange look on her face, and at last, she speaks. “Georgie, I’ll stay with Jon if you want to grab some take-out from that shop around the corner?”

Her tone is pointed in a way Jon can’t read, but Georgie just shrugs. “Sure. What do you guys want?”

Melanie rattles off her order, and when Jon goes to decline, her face hardens. “He’ll have the same.”

As soon as the door shuts, she turns on him. 

"So, how long have you been pulling this shit then?"

"I… excuse me?" Jon’s indignant, certain she can’t mean what he thinks she means.

"When was the last time you ate?" _Oh._

“I- I haven’t been feeling well today, and I-” he narrows his eyes, voice turning cold, “I don’t see how that’s any of your business?” 

“Oh, it’s _definitely_ not. But I think it’s interesting that both Martin and Tim pulled me aside on _separate occasions_ asking me to check that you were eating all right? Why do you think that would be a concern of theirs, hm?” 

Jons thoughts swirl, sliding off each other. Martin and Tim… _Tim_ has asked after him? That can’t be right… and now Martin. Martin knows he’s talking to Melanie, when he’s trying to keep him as far away from this mess as possible.

He blinks rapidly and lets out a shaky breath. 

“Hey. Focus.” Melanie snaps her fingers in front of his face. “I don’t know what this is, but you’ve got people back at that stupid archive that want… well, need your help. Something,” her voice briefly rises, “ _weird_ is going on. Besides, Georgie doesn’t need this on top of everything else. So you’re going to need to pull your shit together.”

The words are casual, but her tone is as sharp as her cheekbones. And then... something clicks? As if it's just dropped into his head. He’s not sure _how_ he Knows, but he does, and Jon swallows his protests.

Her anger- no, not just anger, Melanie King is _furious_ \- it’s personal. 

When he asks his next question, there’s a strange buzzing that builds in his throat and expels like a sneeze. _“Why do you care?”_

Her face slackens. “I- I don’t know! Because I’ve fucking been there? Because I'm - _jealous_ , because... I don’t know if this is a pattern or something new, but you’re scaring people, people I’m starting to care about-” she blinks rapidly with a stricken expression, flush rising up her throat. “I didn’t, I don’t know- I didn’t mean to say all that…” she murmurs, abruptly looking confused.

Jon feels a spark of strength wick through his veins and then snuff out. _There’s no way..._

“Melanie-”

“Excuse me.” She strides into the bathroom and closes the door hard behind her. She still hasn’t emerged when Georgie returns bearing food.

“Sorry, there was a bit of a line, and that imbecile Damien was working the counter today-”

She continues talking as Jon thoughtfully strokes the Admiral and watches the closed door between him and Melanie. He doesn't hear a word of it.

 _Because I’ve fucking been there!_ It echoes around his brain as he sets the table and unwraps the takeout boxes with shaking hands. 

At one point, when Georgie’s out of the room, Melanie scrawls her number on a napkin and shoves it at him. "In case you need follow up on statements, or. You know." She glares. "This _doesn’t_ mean we’re friends. And text Martin.” Jon nods his thanks with no intention of contacting either of them.

But he does fold the napkin carefully into his pocket.

Though the motion feels terrible, he manages half a cup of soup under Melanie’s watchful gaze. 

It settles in his stomach like lead. 

**Author's Note:**

> Specific content warnings: (please let me know if I missed anything!)
> 
> In the opening, Jon has missed a couple of meals and is struggling to start eating again. Mentioned side effects like nausea, exhaustion, and increased anxiety.   
> While on a walk, he passes out, and Melanie (who alludes to having similar issues with food) projects and becomes angry with him.  
> There is no calorie counting, but Jon has a lot of anxiety related to food and eating and avoids it as long as he possibly can. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, you can find me on tumblr as sav-en-garde, come yell about podcasts or drop a prompt if you'd like! <3


End file.
